Ancient origin of fucosylated xyloglucan in charophycean green algae.

The charophycean green algae (CGA or basal streptophytes) are of particular evolutionary significance because their ancestors gave rise to land plants. One outstanding feature of these algae is that their cell walls exhibit remarkable similarities to those of land plants. Xyloglucan (XyG) is a major structural component of the cell walls of most land plants and was originally thought to be absent in CGA. This study presents evidence that XyG evolved in the CGA. This is based on a) the identification of orthologs of the genetic machinery to produce XyG, b) the identification of XyG in a range of CGA and, c) the structural elucidation of XyG, including uronic acid-containing XyG, in selected CGA. Most notably, XyG fucosylation, a feature considered as a late evolutionary elaboration of the basic XyG structure and orthologs to the corresponding biosynthetic enzymes are shown to be present in Mesotaenium caldariorum.

Removal and bioaccumulation of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using freshwater algae.

Four freshwater algae, including Cladophora glomerata, Oedogonium westii, Vaucheria debaryana and Zygnema insigne, were tested for their bioaccumulation capacity for cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb) in a controlled environment with an average temperature of 18 °C, and light/dark duration of 12:12 h. Experiments were performed in aqueous solutions containing selected heavy metals (HM) (ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 mg L(-1)) with 0.5 g of living algae at 18 °C and pH 6.8. The results indicated that C. glomerata was observed to be the most competent species for the removal of Cr, Cd and Pb from aqueous solutions. HM removal trends were in the order of Cd>Cr>Pb while the removal efficiency of selected algae species was in the order of C. glomerata, O. westii, V. debaryana and Z. insigne. The bioaccumulation capacity of C. glomerata, V. debaryana and Z. insigne was observed for different HM. Removal of HM was higher with low levels of HM in aqueous solutions. The results indicated that C. glomerata, O. westii, V. debaryana and Z. insigne had significant (P≤0.01) diverse bioaccumulation capacity for Cr, Cd and Pb.

Osmotic stress in Arctic and Antarctic strains of the green alga Zygnema (Zygnematales, Streptophyta): effects on photosynthesis and ultrastructure.

The osmotic potential and effects of plasmolysis on photosynthetic oxygen evolution and chlorophyll fluorescence were studied in two Arctic Zygnema sp. (strain B, strain G) and two Antarctic Zygnema sp. (strain E, strain D). Antarctic strain D was newly characterized by rbcL sequence analysis in the present study. The two Antarctic strains, D and E, are most closely related and may represent different isolates of the same species, in contrast, strain B and G are separate lineages. Incipient plasmolysis in the cells was determined by light microscopy after incubating cells in sorbitol solutions ranging between 200 mM and 1000 mM sorbitol for 3, 6 and 24h. In Zygnema strain B and G incipient plasmolysis occurred at ~600 mM sorbitol solution (720 mOsmol kg(-1), ψ=-1.67 MPa) and in strains D and E at ~300 mM (318 mOsmol kg(-1), ψ=-0.8 MPa) sorbitol solution. Hechtian strands were visualized in all plasmolysed cells, which is particularly interesting, as these cells lack pores or plasmodesmata. Ultrastructural changes upon osmotic stress were a retraction of the condensed cytoplasm from the cell walls, damages to chloroplast and mitochondrial membranes, increasing numbers of plastoglobules in the chloroplasts and membrane enclosed particles in the extraplasmatic space. Maximum photosynthetic rates (P(max)) in light saturated range were between 145.5 µmol O(2) h(-1)mg(-1)Chl a in Zygnema G and 752.9 µmol O(2) h(-1)mg(-1)Chl a in Zygnema E. After incubation in 800 mM sorbitol for 3h P(max) decreased to the following percentage of the initial values: B: 16.3%, D: 16.8%, E: 26.1% and G: 35.0%. Osmotic stress (800 mM sorbitol) decreased maximum photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II (F(v)/F(m)) when compared to controls. Maximum values of relative electron transport rates of photosystem II (rETR(max)) decreased after incubation in 400 mM sorbitol in Zygnema D and E, while they decreased in Zygnema B and G only after incubation in 800 mM sorbitol. The kinetics of the rETR curves were similar for the Arctic strains Zygnema B and G, but distinct from the Antarctic strains Zygnema D and E, which were similar when compared with each other. This suggests that the investigated Arctic Zygnema sp. strains might be better adapted to tolerate osmotic water stress than the investigated strains from the Antarctic.